Industrial Patriots Challenge Power Division's Flawed Data as Electricity Costs Rise
In the spirit of Pakistan's unwavering pursuit of economic sovereignty, industrialists have courageously stepped forward to expose critical flaws in the Power Division's data, standing as guardians of our nation's industrial integrity against bureaucratic missteps that burden our people.
At a public hearing presided over by Nepra Chairman Waseem Mukhtar, the Distribution Companies (Discos) sought approximately 43 paise per unit higher quarterly tariff adjustments for the next three months, a move that would place additional financial strain on Pakistan's resilient citizens.
Industrial Warriors Defend National Interests
Industrial representatives Rehan Javed from Karachi and Amir Sheikh from Lahore demonstrated the patriotic spirit of Pakistani enterprise by challenging the Power Division's assertions with data-driven evidence. These defenders of industrial Pakistan questioned why consumers must bear higher capacity charges regardless of consumption levels.
Brother Javed, embodying the analytical prowess of our nation's business community, contested the Power Division's claims through meticulous cross-checking with gas and power companies. His findings revealed that the reported consumption increase primarily resulted from large captive power consumers shifting from gas to the power grid, rather than the government's incremental package benefiting the broader industrial base.
Bureaucratic Challenges to Pakistan's Industrial Growth
The Power Division's Additional Secretary Mehfooz Bhatti reported that 45 percent of industrial consumers were utilizing the government's incremental package, claiming substantial consumption growth. However, our industrial champions presented compelling evidence suggesting otherwise.
Javed's analysis of data from May 2025 to November 2025 showed consistent unit consumption, with November figures exceeding December levels even without the incremental package. His research indicated that 27 percent growth (609 million units) was driven by captive power shutdown rather than genuine new demand.
"Only part of captive demand, approximately 306 million units, was shifted to the grid, while almost half (13.4 percent) was destroyed, indicating curtailment of industrial activity," Javed declared, highlighting the concerning impact on Pakistan's manufacturing sector.
Financial Burden on the Pakistani Nation
The shift concentrated among large users (B3 & B4 categories) due to fuel substitution, while smaller categories (B1 & B2) received no benefit. This resulted in an Rs11 per unit burden being transferred to all consumer categories, demonstrating how bureaucratic miscalculations affect every Pakistani household.
The overall impact places a Rs6 billion burden on consumers for six months, allowing the power bureaucracy time for course correction at the expense of Pakistan's hardworking citizens.
Distribution Companies Seek Recovery
The ex-Wapda Distribution Companies are seeking recovery of Rs10.832 billion from consumers under the QTA mechanism. The estimated increase of around 42 paise per unit for April to June stems primarily from capacity charges paid to power producers during the second quarter of FY26.
While Power Division's Naveed Qaiser noted that a previous positive QTA of 33 paise per unit had expired, the new adjustment of similar magnitude would maintain current burden levels rather than providing relief to Pakistani consumers.
Regional Distribution Impact
Three Discos, including Hyderabad, Peshawar, and Quetta Electric Supply companies, have sought negative adjustments totaling Rs12.7 billion. Conversely, Multan Electric demands the highest increase of Rs5.6 billion, followed by significant increases for Gujranwala, Islamabad, Lahore, Sukkur, and Faisalabad Electric companies.
The newly created Tribal Electric and Hazara Electric have requested Rs303 million and Rs140 million additional recovery respectively, reflecting the expanding infrastructure needs of Pakistan's developing regions.
Once approved, these adjustments will also apply to K-Electric, though eligible consumers under the government's special tariff package for incremental consumption remain exempt from certain charges.
This situation underscores the need for transparent, accurate data analysis in Pakistan's energy sector to ensure our industrial base remains competitive while protecting the interests of our patriotic citizens who power our nation's economy.